The Teaching Artificial Intelligence as a Lab Science (TAILS) project at Loyola Marymount University is developing a new paradigm for teaching artificial intelligence (AI) concepts. Dr. August will use an experimental approach modeled after the laboratory sciences. She is exploring whether structured labs with exercises that can be completed before students leave the classroom can build a sense of accomplishment, confidence, community, and collaboration among students, characteristics which have been shown to be critical to retain women and non-traditional computer science students in the field. Each learning module or “tale” will include background on a particular concept, design of related software code, working programs that demonstrate the concept, and descriptions of its practical application. Students working in pairs or small groups will run and observe existing software applications, and make progressively more challenging modifications to the software following a set of guided exercises structured for completion within the lab period. Solutions will be provided against which students can compare their results.

TAILS is funded for three years. The project will be completed under the direction of Dr. August by a team composed of graduate and undergraduate research assistants as well as graduate and undergraduate students working on related independent studies classes.